


Roll With the Punches

by mysticstargirl



Series: Thank You For The Music [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Angst, Everyone Is Alive, Fluff, Grisha Yeager's Bad Parenting, Grisha is a toddlers and tiaras parent, I am evil, Lots of Music, M/M, Modern AU, More characters to be added, Music, Oh yes I did, PINE EREN PINE, Sad Eren, Singer Eren Yeager, Songwriter Levi, Tattoo artist Levi, Youtuber Eren Yeager, Youtuber Jean Kirstein, ah well, depressed eren, good songs tho, hell yeah music references, i dont know how to tag sorry, pining eren, poor erern im gonna rake him over the coals, record company CEO erwin, slow-progressing plot, tatto artist hange, youtube au, youtuber Armin Arlert, youtuber mikasa ackerman
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-08-20
Updated: 2015-05-08
Packaged: 2018-02-13 20:09:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 6,676
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2163609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticstargirl/pseuds/mysticstargirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren Yeager is a popular Youtuber (GreenEyedTitan aka Green or GreenEyed) who uploads covers of songs. </p><p>Levi Ackerman is a famous songwriter who works under a pseudonym (Rivaille), and as a tattoo artist in his spare time. </p><p>Their lives seem the most unlikeliest to cross until one cold winter day when a bundled up titan with green eyes bustles into the Survey Corps Tattoo Parlour.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Comfortably Numb

**Author's Note:**

> new story guys
> 
> no worries, im still writing the other one, its just taking a while with the editing and my brain decided to generate a whole new thing
> 
> i do hope you enjoy this story, im just gonna put the first chapter up. there'll be a gap between this one and the next, because i want to work on completing my other story first. 
> 
> The title for chapt 1 is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd. Good song, guys, check it out :))
> 
> thanks

_Upload Complete! ___

__Eren Yeager lets out a breath and leans back in his chair, draping an arm over his eyes._ _

__"Finally." He mutters, arms falling to the side._ _

__His big, green-gold eyes stare up at the ceiling until a smiling face appears between them._ _

__"Done with your new cover, Eren?" Armin Arlert grins down at him, and Eren smiles tiredly back._ _

__"Mm hmm. That's the last video for this month." He sighs, rubbing his eyes. "Editing sucks."_ _

__The blonde boy laughs, shaking his head. "It's never stopped you."_ _

__"Mm, guess so. I'm gonna go take a nap." Eren stands and stretches, slinking lazily out of the room._ _

__Armin sighs and smiles tiredly, before pulling out his phone and opening the Youtube app._ _

__"Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd, huh." He sighs, plugging in his earphones and walking out of the room as the music begins to play from the earbuds._ _

__\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------_ _

___Whiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrzzzzzzz__ _

____Levi Ackerman lets out a breath and leans back in his chair, draping a heavily inked arm over his eyes._ _ _ _

____Some annoying new electric noise is playing on the radio, 'the hottest song this month' or some shit like that._ _ _ _

____Fucking _bullshit._ _ _ _ _

____As if that stupid obnoxious noise can be called music._ _ _ _

____Sure, some of it could be _alright_ , but mostly it was just... noise. _ _ _ _

____"Hanji, turn off the damn radio or change the station; I'm not listening to that shit anymore!" He yells into the air, but his only response is a slightly hysterical laugh._ _ _ _

____"Oh, Levi~ You're always so picky! This is the hottest song this--"_ _ _ _

____Levi throws his glove at her head._ _ _ _

____"If you finish that sentence I will fucking _end_ you, you shitty eccentric!" _ _ _ _

____Hanji just laughs._ _ _ _

____Levi doesn't know how he managed to put up with her for all these years._ _ _ _

____He's worked in the Survey Corps Tattoo Parlour for a good ten years, and he dares think of it as his second home._ _ _ _

____He would never say it out loud, of course. And definitely not to that kooky freakish woman happily sashaying around the parlour._ _ _ _

____The shop was small, but not cluttered, and very clean._ _ _ _

____Mostly since Levi couldn't stand dirty places. But Hanji's learned not to comment on his cleaning habits._ _ _ _

____Or, well, not often._ _ _ _

____It was well lit, and the walls had been painted with graffiti from some of Hanji's friends._ _ _ _

____Sonny and Bean, she called them. They didn't talk much, and instead opted to sort of grunt and shuffle around._ _ _ _

____The noise on the radio finally stops, and is suddenly replaced with something very different._ _ _ _

_______" _'...I have become comfortably numb__  
O.K.  
Just a little pin prick  
There'll be no more aaaaaaaah!  
But you may feel a little sick 

_________Can you stand up?_  
I do believe it's working, good  
That'll keep you going through the show  
Come on, it's time to go...' _"_

______Levi stops to listen for a moment. Good tone, nice pitch, not the slightest hint of auto-tune or electrical noise, meaning this is the regular singing voice..._ _ _ _ _ _

______Not bad._ _ _ _ _ _

______Not bad at all._ _ _ _ _ _

______Levi knows enough about music to be able to admire those vocals._ _ _ _ _ _

______"...And that was a little bit from GreenEyedTitan's newest cover, Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd! The video was uploaded this morning by the popular Youtuber and reached a million hits in the first hour..."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Oh, it's that Jaeger kid!" Hanji giggles, coming to stand beside him. "He's one of those Youtube singers. Been uploading great covers since he was in high school. He's all my nieces listen to." She smirks at him. "Impressed?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Tch." Levi turns away from the radio, returning to his bench. "At least it's not electrical noise."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Hanji smiles. "I heard he's getting signed."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Signed?" Levi sighs. "Looks like they're gonna ruin all that boy's potential."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"So you admit he's got potential!"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Well, yeah." He gestured to the radio. "Anyone who heard that would admit it. It's pretty fucking obvious."_ _ _ _ _ _

______"Really now~? Is he impressive enough for you to write for him?"_ _ _ _ _ _

______"I don't write anymore, you shithead." Levi pulls on a new latex glove. "Get back to work, shitty glasses."_ _ _ _ _ _

______Hanji smiles and walks back to her booth, letting Levi catch the last bit of the boy's song._ _ _ _ _ _

___________" _'When I was a child__  
I caught a fleeting glimpse  
Out of the corner of my eye  
I turned to look but it was gone  
I cannot put my finger on it now  
The child is grown  
The dream is gone  
I have become comfortably numb.' _"_

_________"Eren Jaeger, hmm?"_ Levi stares at the radio for a minute, before returning to his own table. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________Not bad for a shitty brat. ____ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


	2. Lithium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One uneventful month has passed since Levi Ackerman first heard the 'GreenEyedTitan' on the radio, and one more since the boy rejected three record companies in that time. 
> 
> The last thing he expects on a windy December evening is for that very boy to slam into the tattoo parlour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wooowow so much positive encouragementT!!!!!
> 
> Guys now im terrified, i hope the story lives up to your expectations, but I've already planned out the whole thing T.T
> 
> this chapter title is a Nirvana song and I love them so check it out maybe 
> 
> thanks to everyone who cheered for the first chapter, honestly, you guys are awesome
> 
> tried to make the chapters longer e3e
> 
> ps i still dont know how to italicize or bold D:

"Eren?" 

Eren Jaeger turns around in his chair, offering a small smile to the girl in the doorway to his room. 

"Mikasa. 'Sup?" She doesn't smile back. 

"Are you making another cover?" 

"Yeah." The green eyed boy sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. "I thought the usual three would be enough, but dad says--" 

"This isn't about dad, Eren." Mikasa Ackerman does not anger easily, and she did not come here to argue. 

But Mikasa Ackerman is also ferociously protective of her brother. 

"That's the fifth video this month! You've been doing nothing but sitting in this room, either singing or editing or uploading videos! You need to sleep, and eat, Eren, you're a human being!" 

Eren laughs. "I'm eating, Mikasa, promise." 

She glares at him. His not commenting on the sleeping part goes unmentioned, but not unnoticed.

"I don't think you even want to do this anymore." The dark haired girl sighs as she sits on his desk, glancing at the screen of Eren's computer. 

"No, I do, really. Besides, we need the money." 

"So you're doing it for the money?"

"No, no! Of course not, why would you say that? I love my audience, they're great and supportive and I love singing!" 

"You're also scared of dad." 

"I'm not." 

"Then stop. Take a break this month, or even just this _week _Eren. Your subscribers can wait, and so can dad for a check that shouldn't even be going to him."__

__His hesitant look makes her want to just break his stupid computer, but it also makes her go soft, just a bit, because she'll always be soft for her brother._ _

__"I'm worried for you, Eren. You look a mess and your viewers have noticed, and the music you choose to cover just screams 'depressed'."_ _

__"Does not!" Despite his tone, he looks only mildly offended._ _

__"Eren, come on."_ _

__"Fine." He sighs, knowing he can't win his sister in an argument. "Just one week after this video, okay? I'll eat more and sleep, and you can take me outside if you're confident you can protect me from the masses of screaming girls."_ _

__She snorts. "Oh, I'm sure I can manage that. You're ever so charming, after all."_ _

__Eren smiles, and she sees the pretty golden honey returning to his tired green eyes. "Right then. It's a deal. We'll go out, okay? Maybe go visit Armin and co or something."_ _

__"Yeah."_ _

__As Mikasa leaves she smiles, but outside his door, she sighs as the title of the new video lingers in her head._ _

__'Lithium, by Nirvana...' She bites her lip, hearing Eren's fingers begin to work the mouse, clicking away once again, before she walks away._ _

__\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------_ _

__"Levi?"_ _

__Levi Ackerman turns around in his chair, scowling at his co-worker across the shop._ _

__"The hell do you want, shitty glasses?"_ _

__"Eren's on the radio again in a minute on the popular music channel." Hanji smirks, and Levi sort of wants to kick her._ _

__He opts instead to stand and reach for the radio, turning the little dial to the correct channel._ _

__He ignores her when she coos, "You're such a little tsundere, Levi~!" behind him._ _

__He seats himself down in front of it and crosses his legs and arms, waiting._ _

__"...And now, our latest Youtuber news! Eren Jaeger uploaded a new video at noon today, a song called Lithium, by Nirvana!..."_ _

__He sighs, leaning on the table. Two months of depressing covers, but no one's noticed anything wrong._ _

__(Or, he thinks no one has. Someone close might have noticed, his family or his friends. The annoying and way-too-falsely-cheery girl on the radio sure as hell hasn't.)_ _

___Kid must be hella depressed. ____ _

____But then the cover starts playing and everything else sort of fades away, as Eren Jaeger's voice fills the silence in the parlour._ _ _ _

_______" 'I'm so happy 'cause today_  
I've found my friends ...  
They're in my head  
I'm so ugly, but that's okay...' " 

_____God damn, that kid can _sing._ _ _ _ _ _

______He doesn't even notice his eyes have closed until Hanji giggles beside him._ _ _ _ _ _

______He glowers at her, but at least she knows not to talk to him while the song plays. It's an improvement compared to the first couple weeks, when he literally had to knock her out to get her to shut the fuck up._ _ _ _ _ _

___________" 'I'm so lonely, but that's okay, I shaved my head,_  
And I'm not sad,  
And just maybe I'm to blame for all I've heard,  
But I'm not sure...' " 

______It was difficult to explain just why Levi enjoyed this boy's singing so much._ _ _ _ _ _

______There were plenty of songs he had written in the past, but never given to a singer._ _ _ _ _ _

______They just could never sing it right, the way he heard it in his head.___ _ _ _

______No one was good enough, damn it all.___ _ _ _

________There is a voice that sings Levi's songs in his head, one that he can't place, not quite. It can hit all the right notes and pitches, rise and fall through minor and major keys as if it were nothing, go places with sound that very few singers can._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_______________" 'I like it - I'm not gonna crack,_  
I miss you - I'm not gonna crack,  
I love you - I'm not gonna crack,  
I killed you - I'm not gonna crack ...' " 

________But, well.... this brat's voice is it. At the least, closer than anyone's ever come._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Levi stands as soon as the song's over, returning to his table and tossing a used glove at the wall._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He fucking hates inconvenient coincidences._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Eren Jaeger takes the week off, just like he promised to his sister._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He sleeps till noon to make up for the time he spent awake, and tries his best to eat everything she makes for him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________They have an appointment planned to visit their closer Youtube friends the next day, the last day of the week AND the month, and Eren is feeling great._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Of fucking course it can't last._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He gets a call from Grisha that afternoon. Eren figures it would just end the way it usually does, with both of them pissed the fuck off._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________It's worse than he imagined, though, and the calls that were ignored for the past week doesn't help his situation._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"You haven't done anything this week, Eren. Not a tweet, not a video, or even responding to comments. What the hell are you doing?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Well, I... I just thought I'd take a week off, since I made more videos than usual this month, and--"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"More videos than usual? Kid, you made five. That's not much more than your usual."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Eren grimaces at the word 'kid'._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He used to be 'son'. His father would smile down at him with warm eyes, pick him up and throw him into the air, catch him again, laugh that familiar laugh, spin him around the kitchen 'dancing' while Carla and Mikasa baked cookies and sang._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______There was always music in the Jaeger household, at one point.___ _ _ _

______But that was a long, long time ago.___ _ _ _

________"Yeah, but dad, they take a lot more work than you think, and I promised everyone I'd meet up with them--"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Everyone? You're going out again? You're going to drink, aren't you! What if someone recognizes you? There'll be rumors, and most of them won't be good. The last thing you need is a bad reputation!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"But dad, I think I really need this break--"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"And I think I really need some money! You're not even earning much, the least you could do is earn often! After all those years that I've raised, fed and clothed you!"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________The next words he utters, although they are muffled, as if spoken away from the phone, are something Eren hasn't had to hear in a long time, and he isn't prepared to remember just how much pain they bring._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Should never have had this damn kid... Carla might still be alive..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______The green eyed boy remembers warmth, a beautiful dark haired woman who sang like an angel and smelled like chocolate, a tall smiling man who played the piano like nothing anyone had ever seen, and he remembers the day it all ended.___ _ _ _

________Eren hangs up._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________He throws his phone on the bed, grabs his jacket, and walks._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Levi fucking despises the god damn cold._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Jesus motherfucking Christ." He snarls, rubbing his hands together._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________"Whoa, man, that's like, the most blasphemy I've ever heard in a single sentence!" The guy who's currently getting a tattoo on his bicep laughs, a loud booming laughter that is warm and contagious._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

______Or would be contagious, if Levi wasn't Levi.___ _ _ _

________He's Hanji's, thank God. (ha see what i did there)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________Levi doesn't care to imagine how dirty that man's arm may be._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________When Levi doesn't respond, the man just returns to talking with the woman holding a needle to his arm._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

________It's fairly quiet in the shop, like any other day, but in the next moment everything in Levi's life is completely flipped over._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_________SLAM!_ The door opens forcefully and rattles against the wall. A framed Aerosmith poster hits the ground with a crash. __ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Everyone jumps, but thankfully Hanji has the sense to yank the needle away from the man's arm, just in time to avoid a very painful accident and lots of paperwork._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She huffs and gets back to work as the door closes._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Levi glares at the rather loud entrance. "Oi, you shit, what the hell kind of an entrance is that?"_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Then the person turns to him and their eyes meet and for a second all Levi can see is deep, forest green mixed with beautiful, glowing honey-gold, bright and intense and everything that isn't that precious fucking colour just disappears for a couple seconds._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"I'm sorry, I just-- It was cold and I wasn't really thinking, I didn't mean to, um, startle you..."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________But hell, if he doesn't know that voice._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________That beautifully smooth, rich sound that's as vibrant as the eyes of the beholder._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________He'd recognize that voice anywhere._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Eren Jaeger stands in the doorway to the Survey Corps Tattoo Parlour, and the kid looks like he's about to go after the guy who killed his puppy._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________(Also, some part of Levi's brain notes absently, he's really quite cute.)_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Whoa." The boy's voice startles Levi and their eyes meet again._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Holy shit, you're gorgeous." Eren claps a hand over his mouth but Hanji snorts loudly in the corner. "I mean- Um- Tattoo." Recognition dawns on his face as he looks around, at everything in the shop but Levi. "I'm here to get a tattoo."_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Levi is not amused. No matter what Hanji thinks, Levi is most definitely not amused, or intrigued, or anything. Nor attracted in any way to this shitty, stupid little brat who can sing like nothing he's ever heard before and he needs to stop thinking now or he's going to say somethings stupid out loud, he needs to respond, a retort-_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"No shit, you brat." The boy blushes a lovely shade of pink. It almost makes the older man feel sorry._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________Almost._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________"Go sit on that chair over there." He points across the shop and the boy scurries over quickly._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________As Levi walks to his table and steadily picks up the things he needs, Hanji shoots him a giddy look. He glowers at her._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

__________She just giggles and winks and he swears to himself that he will kick her later, but for now he turns to the boy sitting nervously in the chair beside him._ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ................ *expectant silence of nervousness* shit guys im freakin here
> 
> also wo i just realized that all hanji's been doing in this fic is giggling smirking and commenting on levis 'secret' approval of eren's singing..... ah well no worries, more character development is on the way1
> 
> I hope I didn't screw it up, bc honestly this story's gonna be my baby
> 
> also haha if anyone was wondering the title 'roll with the punches' is a song by Lenka and its super awesome, totally a recommended song for a tiring day


	3. Something

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's been nearly two weeks since Eren and Levi's lives first collided in the small tattoo parlour on a cold, windy evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I  
> AM  
> SO  
> SO  
> SORRY
> 
> I AM SO ASHAMED OF MYSELF
> 
> School started up after I uploaded chapter 2 and AP classes are kILLING ME T.T
> 
> BBUUTUTTTT We're back and hopefully this chapter will do until the next time I can upload again!!!!

"-ren Jaeger!" 

Eren blinks when his name is called, again, by a rather aggravated looking Armin. 

"Huh? What?" He frowns at his friend sitting across from him at his desk.

"Why're you smiling?" The blonde boy looks mildly amused but also fairly concerned. 

"What do you mean, I'm not...?" Eren realizes that he is, indeed, smiling like an idiot. "Uh, I..." 

Armin just chuckles, shaking his head. "You've been weird these past two weeks, Eren. All you've done is smile to yourself and write in that notebook of yours." 

The dark haired boy is confused by this because surely, surely it hasn't been two weeks already.

Two weeks since he decided to get an impromptu tattoo after barging into a parlour.

Two weeks since first meeting _him_. 

"Um, no?" (Eloquently phrased, Eren, really.)

Armin just shakes his head, flipping another page in his textbook. 

"Okay, Eren." 

The green eyed boy just scowls and glares down into his notebook, scratching out another line. 

"You should kind of _actually_ be studying." A smug voice says, and Eren glowers up at the third boy at the table.

"Shut up, Jean. Just because you don't need to study to pass doesn't mean you should be all smug about it." 

The light haired boy smirks down at the fellow Youtuber. "I do what I want, actually." 

Eren groans, leaning back in his chair and placing his notebook over his face. "Shut _up_ Jean." 

"Nah." The familiar, warm hands ruffles through his dark hair and sends that aching jolt down his spine. 

_God_ damn _it_!

Eren brushes Jean's hand off, scowling. "Go away. I'm working." 

"No, you're writing love poems." 

The green eyed 'titan' lets out a sound that he would later vehemently deny was a squawk, and shoves Jean away. 

"Fuck _off_!" Jean just laughs that stupid, once attractive (not attractive now, not anymore, it's not, it's not, it's _not_ -) laugh. 

"Whoever the lucky guy is, Eren, make sure you use safety--" The green eyed boy clamps his hand over that stupid, _stupid_ horse face, blushing angrily. 

"Oh, so it _is_ a crush!" Armin laughs, sitting forward. "That explains your new cover!" 

"My new..." 

"It's 'Something', by the Beatles!" Armin opens his Youtube app, showing it to Jean. 

"What? No way!" The other Youtuber laughs as well, pulling out his own phone to check. "Ha! Eren, you've got it fuckin _bad_!" 

"No, I haven't got _anything_ 'fuckin bad'!" Eren's protests fall on deaf ears. "I just wanted to try something different, that's all!" 

"No, it's good." Armin grins delightedly up at Eren, making the boy shut up rather quickly. "I'm glad, Eren." Jean lets out a sound of agreement, before beginning to type rapidly away on his phone. 

"Well, I still don't have a crush or anything." He mumbles, scowling at the table in front of him.

As Armin and Jean's slightly carefree laughter, however, bounces off the walls of Eren's room, the boy feels better than he's ever felt in a long, _long_ time.

\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------

"-evi~!" Levi snaps to attention just in time for him to raise his foot and make sure Hanji doesn't pounce on him. 

The woman coughs and curls up, clutching her stomach, but she's laughing, too. 

Levi crouches in front of her, holding her up by her hair and glowering down at her. "Mind explaining what you find so fucking funny, shitty glasses?" 

Hanji just giggles. "You had that dazed, love-struck expression on your face again." 

He drops her head, standing with his hands on his hips. "What dazed expression?" 

The female tattoo-artist sits up, grinning up at him. "You know, the one where you're thinking 'Oh, I miss Eren, he's pretty cute, and a good singer, I wonder if he'll come back--'" She's cut off when he smacks her over her head. 

"Yeah right. Shut up, you eccentric. As if I'd be thinking about some shitty brat." 

"Well, you _have_ been writing more. You must've gotten your inspiration from _somewhere_ " The woman stands, brushing herself off. "My money's on the Jaeger boy, and so is Erwin's. Don't disappoint us~!" 

He resists the temptation to kick her by walking over to turn on the radio. "Who the hell told you to bet on my actions?" 

"Well, it was mostly just Erwin's idea, you know how he gets, but I decided to participate! They've got a whole betting pool back at the office, you know." Hanji laughs, stretching and adjusting her glasses. "A surprisingly small amount of people have their money on Eren though." 

"Yeah, well, they're wrong." Levi scowls and turns up the radio. 

"...Here we are, back with Youtube news, and we've got something quite special today!" The bubbly girl on the radio shrieks, and the songwriter plops himself down in a chair, arms and legs crossing, waiting. 

"The greeneyedtitan uploaded a new cover at noon today, the first in _two weeks_ , and it's something _very_ different from the usual!" 

And when the undoubtedly recognizable instrumental begins playing from the radio, Levi's eyes widen at the same moment that Hanji lets out a delighted shout. 

" _Something in the way she moves,_  
attracts me like no other lover,  
something in the way she woos me....  
I don't want to leave her now,  
you know I believe and how...

"That's right, Eren has uploaded his first love song in a very, _very_ long time!" The dj crows. "My, is our fan-favourite Youtuber in love?" 

"Oh, this is good, this is so good!" The woman with glasses laughs happily, picking up her phone and typing away. "I have _got_ to tell Erwin about this, shit, no way!" She shrieks the entire time she leaves the room. 

Levi stays frozen where he sits, eyebrows raised, as the woman yaps away happily. 

_Shitty brat's finally over his funk, eh?_ The songwriter smirks, turning up the sound on the radio and returning to his workbench as the cover starts up again. 

" _Somewhere in her smile she knows,_  
that I don't need no other lover,  
something in her style that shows me...  
I don't want to leave her now,  
you know I believe and how... 

When Hanji returns to the room, Levi's sitting with his back to her at his workbench, and he's humming along with Eren's voice as he scribbles something in his notebook. 

The woman, then, smiles a secret smile, and returns quietly to her work bench. 

__"So much for giving up music, hm Levi?"_ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SOOOOOOO?!??
> 
> haahaaaa wondering what happened while Eren was getting tattooed? you'll have to read more to find out *manic laughing* gah this was fun to write
> 
> How was it? Alright? Too fast? 
> 
> ALL CRITIQUES WELCOME, FLAME ME IF YOU FEEL THE NEED TO
> 
> Im really truly sorry for making people wait so long for this update really christ i dont even know what to say
> 
> Something is a song by the Beatles, i think it was on the Abbey Road album. Thanks for reading, I hope you'll stick around for more!! <3
> 
> PS IVE FIGURED OUT HOW TO ITALICIZE *dances* whooO


	4. All Alone in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Levi thinks he needs to hear Eren again, and so decides to look up his Youtube channel.
> 
> Also, Hanji Zoe is really not as clueless as she lets on.
> 
> (Because Hanji knows, better than anyone, that Levi's a goner already; and hell, if Eren can make Levi happy in this life, then who is she to do anything but help? God knew they both deserved it after that last bloodbath [they don't remember, none of them so far remember, but Hanji remembers and if she's the only one, then hell, she'll be making sure things go smoothly this time around.])

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *gasp* can it be? 
> 
> Is it a new chapter?
> 
> YES IT IS!!!
> 
> *SLAPS HERSELF* MYSTIC ITS LITERALLY BEEN LIKE THREE MONTHs WHAT IN THE NAME OF ALL THAT IS HOLY WERE YOU DOING
> 
> I AM SO SO SORRY GUYS I HAD FINALS FOR AP CLASSES ALL AND I HAD TO CLUTCH THE FUCK OUT OF EVERYTHING
> 
> GUYS I AM SO SO SO SO SORRY I CANNOT EVEN PUT INTO WORDS HOW APOLOGETIC I AM UGH I REALLY HOPE THIS CHAPTER WILL BE WORTH THE WAIT
> 
> IF ANY OF YOU ARE STILL WITH ME BLESS YOU AND I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE SERIOUSLY
> 
> I wrote this before Halloween but it's coming up after Christmas oh gods guys im so sorry please dont kill me

There hasn't been a new cover nor a visit from Eren Jaeger in a month. 

Levi shouldn't be as upset as he is.

But he also knows that he's a lot of things he shouldn't be.

"Are you suffering from Eren-withdrawal, Levi?" Hanji laughs, and he nearly takes her head off.

"Fuck off." 

"Oh, you _are_ !"

"I'll gut you, shitty glasses."

The woman just giggles, shaking her head. "You _can_ look up his videos on Youtube, you know. If you really want to hear them again." 

"I don't have time for that." 

"Now _that's_ bullshit." She responds cheekily and he throws a stencil at her. 

" _Fuck off!_ "

"Levi, seriously; look up his channel. It's not that big a deal." She says it again, less teasing, because she knows he needs this more than he lets on. 

The man frowns at her, almost suspicious, when her eyes stare at him in that still, calm way they get only when she's really serious. 

Hanji Zoe has known Levi for many years now; she knows he's strong and stubborn, and she also knows he's god damn _stupid_ when it comes to just enjoying himself. 

The tense silence doesn't last three seconds, because Hanji smiles and turns, skipping over to the dusty old PC in the corner of the parlour. 

"Hell, Levi, if you can't do it, I'll do it for you! Easy-peasy!" She grins and types quickly, clicks away, and has a flickering screen full of videos open in less than a minute. 

"Hey, wait a second--" The woman smirks, gives the roller on the mouse a quick scroll, and clicks a video at random. 

The title only registers to her when the screen flicks into place, and it makes her laugh. _How ironic,_ she thinks, her eyes glittering with mirth, _that this video would come up now._

Levi is half out of his seat with a glare on his face when the familiar voice begins to sing through the worn speakers, the raggedness of the machines hardly affecting the vibrant tone and aching, raw emotions in the voice. 

" _Swept me away_  
But now I'm lost in the dark  
Set me on fire  
But now I'm left with a spark " 

The tattooed man stops, stiffening, eyes flicking from Hanji to the computer screen, the glare softening. 

His movements are smoother when he stands to his full height -not much, Hanji thinks with amusement, but right now isn't an appropriate time to think that, not when Levi has that look on his face like he's watching something _beautiful_ \- and changing his goal from strangling Hanji to carefully seating himself in front of the old computer. 

His eyes glint with curiosity and interest, and there's a sharpness to it that his colleague hasn't seen in far too long. 

" _Alone, you got beyond the haze and_  
I'm lost inside the maze  
I guess I'm all alone in love " 

Levi is completely sinking into the video, despite the fact that he would vehemently deny it later, and so Hanji turns away to give the man his privacy. 

After all, it's not every day she sees him like this. 

" _I guess I'm all alone in love..._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i lost my laptop and this was what i could salvage. 
> 
> there goes three chapters, down the drain like that *snaps fingers*
> 
> but i figured you guys more than deserved something before new years and i leave on a trip for a week on the 28th (going to see colleges across the country!!! First stop; Stanford!) 
> 
> so yeah, here's a quickie before i descend into the abyss again.
> 
> sorry guys.


	5. Strawberry Swing (Pt. 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eren and Levi's first encounter is finally revealed.
> 
> (Also in which Levi thinks- for once in a long, long time- that music really is something worth doing)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a... and here i am guys.
> 
> please dont kill me

_"Go sit on that chair over there." He points across the shop and the boy scurries over quickly._

_As Levi walks to his table and steadily picks up the things he needs, Hanji shoots him a giddy look. He glowers at her._

_She just giggles and winks and he swears to himself that he will kick her later, but for now he turns to the boy sitting nervously in the chair beside him._

A boy that he doesn't recognize (because the camcorder that the boy sings in front of does little to nothing to capture the absolutely _beautiful_ creature he is) yet still feels familiar with, (because Levi's very nearly memorized the very way the boy _breathes_ ) sits nervously in the black faux leather chair, staring up at him with wide eyes.

And Jesus Christ, those _eyes_.

They're green, and yes, Levi's seen green eyes before (He used to be in show business, after all, and all manner of beauties were around in a business like that) but this pair is like all of them combined and therefore like none of them at all.

Those eyes have to belong to an angel or another celestial being of some sort because they're easily the most beautiful things he's ever seen; vibrant, fathomless, with a color he can't quite name sifting through them continuously, as if lost in the forest of green and searching for a way out.

(Since then he's written the equivalent of four songs about those eyes, because it's as if he's never really seen green eyes in his life before)

"Uh, so... I, uh..."

And there's that voice, damn it, that _voice_ that he'd recognize anywhere-

"There are papers to sign." He cuts the boy off (and the voice inside his head screams at him, it wants to hear the boy talk, it wants that delightful, rich sound, more, more, _more_ -) and shifts through all the shit he needs for this stupid job (without which he clearly would never have met Eren Jaeger).

"How old are you?"

He doesn't mean to make eye contact but it happens anyway and it makes him hold his breath, when the boy turns those wide green eyes to him, blinking. "I'm, uh..."

"Spit it out, brat." _Where's all that eloquence from when you sing, huh? You can tell entire epics with just a single line of song- say something, say something more-_

"Nineteen, sir!" He yelps out, jumping where he sits, and fuck it all, it's fucking _cute_.

"That wasn't so hard now, was it?" Levi raises an eyebrow, and the Youtuber flushes painfully.

"Levi, you're scaring the kid." Hanji laughs from somewhere behind him, and he shoots her a look.

"I'll need ID," he starts again, ignoring his coworker. "And I'll deal with _you_ later." He snaps, turning to glare at her.

She just shrugs and goes back to whatever goes on in that mind of hers. 

"Anyway, kid," He places the papers in the boy's lap and watches with mild amusement as Eren fumbles with them and sits quietly and stiffly. "You get those signed, s'mostly just instructions an' shit. Choose a pattern or somethin'." Levi points to the binder full of sketches beside the chair. "And I'll be back in a moment." 

Eren nods frantically, still looking far too uncomfortable for someone who'd willingly run into the store. 

\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN---------- 

The moment the older man leaves the room- _what was his name again? L... something... He'd have to find out_ \- Eren lets out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

The woman in the corner chuckles, and though she seems strange, she also seems like a perfectly friendly person, because her eyes are warm and kind and her voice soft and bright. 

"So you're Eren Jaeger, right? The Youtuber?"

"Uh... Yeah..." The boy smiles sheepishly, scratching his cheek. He gets recognized often, but each time he's still surprised, because _Who'd have thought no-name Jaeger would end up being recognized on the streets, huh?_

"I'm Hanji." She grins. "We hear you a lot around here, y'know. You're very good." 

"Thank you." Eren knows he's a blusher- Jean has teased him mercilessly about it, has hissed it along with other filthy words as he growled and slammed him against the-- 

_No, brain. Don't go there, not now._

"Was this really a planned visit?" The woman asks, and she's smiling but there's something about her, sinister and wise.

_Can he trust her?_

"Y- Yeah." Her eyes crinkle with amusement behind the glasses at his stuttered response. 

"Well then. Any design you had in mind? I can help you choose if you're uncertain." 

_No, I didn't plan this, damn it all, I'm not supposed to be here! Shit, Grisha's going to be so mad when I get back, I bet he's called me like a hundred times and--_

Eren's eyes widen. _Shit, what if he dropped by? Where's Mikasa today? Out, right? Please, please be out, Mikasa--_

But then, although Eren feels like a complete ass to admit it, the dark haired, dark eyed man returns to the room and his mind just goes _blank_ , everything about Grisha or Mikasa or home, just _leaving_ his mind.

"Have you chosen something, brat?" 

The green eyes snap up and he stares at the man who approaches, eyebrows raised slightly as he pulls on a pair of white latex gloves. 

"I..."

"Actually, we were just talking about it, Levi!" The woman with glasses comes to his rescue (thank everything, because Eren would've said something stupid), smiling brightly. "He was thinking about this design, actually..." She grins and whips out a pen, pulling a pad of sticky notes out of her desk.

Right, _Levi_ , that's what it was. 

_... Wait, what design?_ Eren blinks. He never mentioned any design; he's mildly to moderately frightened. 

Levi raises an eyebrow as Hanji scribbles something out on the sticky note, tongue sticking out childishly as she works. 

The man turns to stare at Eren with a look that clearly reads 'are you sure you trust her?' to which the boy responds with a falsely confident look. 

"There!" 

The end result is a surprisingly well drawn, and an odd sort of design that makes both Eren and Levi to tilt their heads curiously. 

They study it for a couple moments.

"Wings?" Eren offers finally, and the woman nods enthusiastically. "Wings! On the fingers!" She crows, shoving the design in Levi's face, making him hiss in irritation. 

"They're shit wings." Levi snips. "There's only one wing." 

Hanji just smiles like she sometimes does, like she knows something that no one else knows, and it makes the ex-songwriter tick in irritation. 

"That's what's special about it. You don't know where the other wing is yet, but if you find it, you'll be able to fly." 

And those are wise words, Levi thinks absently, to come from the woman's mouth. 

_She's probably been smoking again._

"I like it." Eren says, staring at it. Something about it pulls at him, the simplistic and elegant white wing, and he knows he _wants_ it. 

"You sure, brat? Tattoos are forever." Levi murmurs, and Eren watches the way he casually pulls on a latex glove and glance over at him with the piercing grey eyes, and yeah, _he wants it._

(eren u slut)

"Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Thanks." He smiles at the woman who smiles back warmly. 

The man shrugs and Eren notices the lean muscle through the slim black sweater and swallows, blushing. 

"Whatever you want, kid."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gah that was a crappy chapt for such a late update T^T
> 
> DID I MANAGE TO PULL OFF LEVI ALRIGHT?!?!??! I DONT KNOW HALP
> 
> sorry, and thanks so much for the support!
> 
> yes. its may. this chapter isnt even completed. i am so sorry.


	6. Strawberry Swing (Pt. 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rest of what actually happened in the tattoo parlour, and the song in the title finally actually comes into play. finally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so... this is pt 2 of Strawberry Swing. It's a great song, check it out, it's rated in one of the top ten most relaxing songs in existence, guys, it's BEAUTIFUL>
> 
> thank you all so much for being so patient.

_"You sure, brat? Tattoos are forever." Levi murmurs, and Eren watches the way he casually pulls on a latex glove and glance over at him with the piercing grey eyes, and yeah, he wants it._

_(eren u slut)_

_"Yeah. Yeah, I like it. Thanks." He smiles at the woman who smiles back warmly._

_The man shrugs and Eren notices the lean muscle through the slim black sweater and swallows, blushing._

_"Whatever you want, kid."_

Usually Levi leaves the actual tattooing to Hanji, but hell these tattoos are on the fingers and Eren Jaeger has the prettiest little hands he's ever seen- to hell if he's letting that woman get this chance.

 _Chance to what, exactly?_ His mind supplies mockingly. _Molest the kid's hand? Because if that's the case, it's probably safer to let Hanji do it._

"Shut up." He mutters, ignoring a confused look from the green eyed boy.

He turns around, rolls up his sleeves, and holds up a sharpie. "Alright, let's get to work." He begins tracing out the design onto Eren's sun-darkened fingers.

And it suddenly hits Eren that he's getting a _tattoo_ , something that's forever and is painful to get and he's going to say something, but he's silenced again by a quiet, curious look.

"First tattoo, is'nit, kid?" The man murmurs softly, and Eren shifts awkwardly, trying not to move his arm. "No," He says, too quickly, and Levi chuckles, a deep rich sound that sends absolute _ripples_ of warmth through him.

"It's not," He insists, even though it's a blatant lie.

"Sure, kid. Now relax as I come towards you with a sharp needle to stab your skin and fill it with ink."

Eren swallows. "I don't think I had to hear that in so many words."

Levi just rolls his eyes.

"Relax kid, It's a pretty small tattoo, and it's just on your knuckles. You know which places hurt? The elbow." The dark haired man pulls up a sleeve and shows Eren a single crossed swords tattoo right on the inside of his elbow.

"Cool." Eren mumbles.

"That wasn't the point, but okay kid. Stop drooling or I'll let Hanji do the tattooing."

Levi's quite pleased when the sentence makes Eren shut up immediately.

The boy's ridiculously tense, though, and it's beginning to irk Levi when his eyes are wide and terrified as the needle begins to pierce his skin.

"Kid, if you don't relax I'm not going to do this." He says, face twisting in irritation, and the boy turns those wide eyes to gaze up at him.

"I'm relaxed," He insists, eyes wide and nervous. "I'm perfectly relaxed and just fine and I can get a tattoo."

Levi sighs.

How do you calm down a kid freaked out about getting a tattoo? It's obvious he has no _idea_ what he's doing here.

_"They were sitting,  
They were sitting on the strawberry swing," _

He doesn't know _why the hell_ he decided that singing something was a good idea, but his mouth's already started humming the soothing tune.

The green eyed boy completely freezes under Levi's hands, then relaxes so quickly the older man fears he may have passed out. He checks to make sure he hasn't, and finds Eren staring at him with his bright green eyes wide and focused, and he raises an eyebrow.

Now that the boy is calmer, he gets to work on the tattoo. He doesn't stop singing, but he hasn't sung anything in a long time and he can feel Eren's gaze practically burning into the side of his face.

 _"Cold, cold water bring me round_  
Now my feet won't touch the ground  
Cold, cold water what ya say...  
When it's such,  
It's such a perfect day..." 

To be honest, he's done with the tattoo too quickly. It's only some white ink, and the tattoo is relatively simple. The humming fades away as he concentrates on finishing the ink, and he finally turns of the small buzzing needle.

Too soon he has to let go of the slightly calloused fingers, wiping away the small droplets of blood. "There we go. Wasn't that bad, was it, brat?"

\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------

Eren honestly didn't expect the man to start singing softly while tattooing him. Honestly. Because seeing this man (this small, _remarkably_ angry man), he doesn't seem the type in the slightest.

But fuck, it had been _beautiful_.

Levi has a low voice, not the rumbling low drawl the way Reiner has, but something entirely different. It's low and smooth and delightfully soft, almost like a teasing jazz voice. It's gentle, but with a firmness that suggests experience, and, to be honest, it was hot.

In simper terms, his voice was deep, and it was _good_.

When the shorter man lets go of his hand and wipes off the blood, it feels light and cold, and the tattoo on his knuckles burn a bit. "There we go. Wasn't that bad, was it, brat?" The same voice that had practically been serenading him asks, but now Eren can't hear that voice without also yearning for the gentle singing, still echoing somewhere in the back of his head.

"Ow." He responds, because he can't exactly find words right now, and the man chuckles, a rich sound that only amplifies the yearning for the music it had been singing.

"Don't be a brat. I'll wrap that for you and it'll be good in a week. Check in if it gets weird, alright?"

Eren nods absently.

He sits for a while, watching Levi put away his things and toss the gloves in a bin, his workspace neat with everything in position, the very opposite of Hanji's desk piled up with odds and ends.

"Are you gonna move?" Levi says slowly, glancing back.

"I haven't paid." Eren responds, not moving from his spot.

"I know, dumbass. Get over here."

\----------SHINGEKI-NO-KYOJIN----------

It's been too long since Eren has seen Levi. However long it's been, it's too long.

His new cover, 'Officially Missing You' is as popular as his videos are, and it makes him proud, it really does.

He wonders if Levi saw it.

Somehow the thought sends excited shivers through his mind.

And, it seems viewers are alarmed by the bandages around his fingers.

 **Eren Jaeger @GreenEyedTitan:** Guys, thanks for the concern about my hand, but don't worry! It's just a tattoo! Thats right, I got a tattoo! im a manly man!

The response is immediate. 

**Jean Kirschtein @DoctorHorseFace:** @GreenEyedTitan pics or it didnt happen!

Eren smiles absently, his heart giving a gentle flutter at seeing Jean's name on his feed.

 **Eren Jaeger @GreenEyedTitan:** @DoctorHorseFace i dont have to prove anything to you!

He smiles absently to himself, satisfied with his response, and plugs in his phone.

In his dreams there's a gentle, soft voice singing to him again, and Eren wakes up the next day with tight shorts and a blush on his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WE'VE FINALLY GOT ALL THE EXPOSITION UP AND OUT OF THE WAY HUZZAH WE ARE NOW READY FOR ACTUAL LEGITIMATE PLOT ALRIGHT PEOPLE LET'S GO SOME REAL ASS DRAMA COMING UP NEXT

**Author's Note:**

> AAAAaaaaND we done!! 
> 
> right, so tell me how u feel n stuff, comments with crticism will be sO APPRECIATED
> 
> also can someone tell me how to italicize and bold and stuff in AO3 im still new to this


End file.
